Improvement in self-closing faucets



M. S. CLARK.

Self-Closing Faucets.

No. 135,407. Pa-temedreb.4,1a73.

UNITED AfrEN'r Crimenc ,IMINFORD S. CLARK, OF NIV YORK, NrY., ASSIGNOR IO CHARLES HARRISON,

l OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT EN SELF=CLOS1NG FAUCETS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. ltb, dated February 4, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MINFORD S. CLARK, of the city and State of New York, have invented certain Improvements on Self-Closing Faucets, ot' which the following is a specification:

My invention is divisible into two partsthe one relating to that class ot't'aucets, valves, or cocks for iuids the closing ot' which is regulated by the escape ot' uid from a variable chamber, and the other relating to cocks or faucets which are operated by means ot' a lever.

The accompanying drawing (a part ot' this specification) is a vertical section through the center 'ot a faucet containing my improvements. The valve is represented as open, and the arrows indicate the directions ot' the cur rents of tluid when the valve is in the act ot' closing.

Referring to the drawing', A is the induction-passage; l, the valve-plug; c, the valveseat; and e, the educton-passage. The valvestem f is bored out longitudinally, and lcommunicates with the valve-chamber by the lateral openings f2 and f3 above and below the cup-leather or umbrella-valve g, which is sel cured to the valve-stein. The space above the cup-leather g constitutes the variable chamber. The valve-plug b screws into the lower end of the hollow valve-stem, and, together with the valve-stem and connecting parts, is pushed upward by the spiral spring b1, which rests upon the inside ot the lower cap b2. The hollow valvestem, besides its function of drawing the variable chamber through the lateral opening f2 elevated above the cupleather, exhibits another feature, which is of greater importance, to wit: The duct of conimunication with the variable chamber is pr0- longed and its lower terminus or mouth enlarged, so that, in operation, currents of ilnid are made to pass through it alternately in opposite directions when the valve is opening and closin 0'.

On referring to the d awing it will be perceived that the lower openingj's is ot greater diameter than the upper openin g f2. The opening f2 is made small in order to prevent the too rapid escape of fluid from the variable chamber when the valve is closin 0*. In the drawing the opening f2 is represented larger than its real size to make it more clearly distinguishable.

In operation, when the valve-plug b is depressed the iiuid rushes into the valve-chainber and a portion ot` it into the enlarged mouth ot' the ductj'3, which is in a favorable position to receive the full force ot' the stream. The hollow interior ofthe valvcstem is thus filled and the uid is forced through the opening f2 into the variable chamber.

The jet of uid thus injected contributes to ward filling the variable chamber, and also washes away any sediment which may be near he opening f2, and which might otherwise clog it. The variable-chamber duct, therefore, is alternately (as the valve opens and closes) an inductionpipe and an eduction-pipe.

The second part ot' my invention consists in providing means for the adjustment` of the lever by which the valve-stein is depressed, so that it can be made to stand radially in any direction from the valve-chamber. This I ac- ,complish by making the upper cap in two parts, d and The o uter part or ferrule d embraces the upper end ot' the valve-chamber and engages a screw-thread thereupon like an ordinaryT cap. The inner part i, which I calla swivel, has on the top two ears, il, for guiding the lever k and holding the lever-pin 7c',- and its lower edge has a projecting lip, tu, which catches under a corresponding lip, d', on the inside of the ferrule d. The swivel has a hole bored through it to admit the head ot' the valve-stem and allow of the action of the lever thereupon. Next below the swivel is an elastic washer or packing, a, and next below that a Ametallic washer, nl, which latter rests upon the wall of the valve-chamber.

It will thus be seen that when the ferrule d is screwed hard down the elastic washer n is compressed between the swivel and the annular shoulder n? on the Wall of the valve-chain ber, and thus is innnovably held in position by friction.

If it be desired to change the position of the lever lt' the ferrulc d is unscrewed enough to loosen the parts, and the lever, being attached to the swivel, can then be turned to any required radial direction and secured thereon by again screwing the ferrule hard down.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a selelosing cock, n hollow valveferrule d with the shell of i faucet or cook, stem providedwth openingsf2 andfrespcctsubstantially as described, and for the purively, above and below the cup-leather g, poses set forth.

when arranged with relation to the induetion- MINFORD S. CLARK. passage A, substantially :is described, and for Witnesses: the purposes set forth. WM. P. TOWNE,

2. The combination of the swivel yi and the GEO. E. POOLE. 

